assistive technology for hearing impaired

The Hearing Solution Company Pvt Ltd, Singapore

www.thsc.com.sg [email protected]

Assistive Technology for Hearing Impaired

Manfred Stoifl,

Hearing Aid Acoustician AAHA, Vienna Austria

Certified Induction Loop Installer

Managing Director, The Hearing Solution Company P/L, Singapore

http://www.thsc.com.sg/


mailto:[email protected]




Applications

To Improve Hearing with Hearing Devices

• By utilizing tele-coils in Hearing Devices

– For public spaces if …..

• ….a P.A. System is in use

• … background noise is present

• …sound barriers are present.






• Induction Loop Systems

–Different technologies

• Different Applications

• FM / Radio System

–Personal System

–Semi Fixed Installed Systems.


Current Technology






Induction Loop Systems

– Different technologies

• Different Applications


Current Technology

FM / Radio System

– Personal System

– Semi Fixed Installed Systems







Semi-Fixed FM/Radio Systems

Principle

FM Receiver

Neck Loop

P.A. System

100 m

Fixed FM transmitter

Hearing Aid with Tele-coil

FM Receiver

Speaker

Hearing Instrument user

Microphone






FM Receiver Microphone/ FM Transmitter

15 – 100 m

Neck Loop

Hearing Aid


Personal FM/Radio Systems

Principle






Covers an area of about 100

in radius from transmitter

NO Interference with FM

systems in adjacent rooms as

long as they are on a

different frequency

Signal MAY BE overheard in

all adjacent rooms and

corridor if a FM-receiver with

same frequency is used.

Room with Personal or Semi-Fixed FM/Radio Systems

Room with FM system

Adjacent room

Corr

idor

Adjacent room

Adjacent room

Adjacent room Adjacent room






Charging Case For charging and safe

keeping of Receiver and

personal Transmitters. Optional

WallPilot Automatically switches FM receivers frequency

Installed at every entrance door to rooms.

Battery driven.

Fixed FM Transmitter Ideally below/above AV amplifier/mixer. Normal audio connections to AV equipment Can transmit all sounds provided by AV equipment 220V power supply

Installation / Hardware Setup FM Systems






Hearing

impair

ed

vis

itor

Switches own hearing aid to T or MT position

Switch on Amplifier and FM transmitter

Hears all signals at personal appropriate level

Hard

ware

O

pera

tor

responsib

ility

FM Transmitter and PA system installed and connected to each other FM Receivers in storage with operator staff

FM Receivers charged, tested and set to particular room frequency

Hand FM Receiver to visitor upon request & explain usage

Puts Neck-Loop around neck and switches FM receiver on

Requests FM Receiver

Returns FM Receiver

Receives FM transmitter back from visitor

Checks, cleans (sterilizes) and put back on stock

Semi Fixed FM system Operation






Hearing

impair

ed

vis

itor



Hard

ware

O

pera

tor

responsib

ility

FM Transmitters and Receivers in storage with operator staff

FM Receivers & Transmitters charged, tested and set to particular room frequency

Hand FM Receiver to visitor upon request & explains usage

Puts Neck-Loop around neck and switches FM receiver on

Requests FM Receiver

Returns FM Receiver

Receives FM transmitter back from visitor

Checks, cleans (sterilizes) and put back on stock

Personal FM system Operation

FM Transmitter allocated to speaker according to room







Induction Loop System

Principle

Audio Source

Induction Loop

Induction Loop Driver

Audio Source

Wired or Wireless







Induction Loop System

Principle






Loop Design Solutions

Hearing Loop Principles – Loop Layouts

Overspill Loop Perimeter Loop Cancellation Loop

Single Array Low Loss

MultiLoop™

Low Spill

MultiLoop™






Overspill Loops

Only solution for counters, Intercom

systems and many other situations

• Single Loop Driver System for up

to coverage area of 35m2

• The overspill effect is used to

transmit the signal

• Counter material needs to be

considered

• Height and distance of the listener

must be considered

• Computer designed layout and

equipment definition







Perimeter Loops

For applications where spill is not an

issue

Perimeter Loop

Single Loop Driver System for a

coverage area of up to 3,300m2

Stone, brick or wooden construction

building

No metal in building construction,

roof or floor

Computer designed layout and








Low Loss MultiLoop™

Used to minimise metal loss

Phased Array

Single Loop Driver System for a coverage

area of up to 3,300m2

Essentially two loop arrays, one on top of the

other driven by one single driver.

Audio separated by 90° phase shift

Used for large areas

Irregular shaped rooms

Computer designed layout and equipment

definition







Cancellation Loop™

Used to limit interference with a performance

stage



Essentially two loop arrays, one

on top of the other

Terminator Loop in a certain

area to limit spill in a certain

direction









Single Array Loop™

Used for large areas without metal loss



Essentially two loop arrays, one

on top of the other

Audio separated by 90° phase

shift

Irregular shaped rooms









Low Spill MultiLoop™

Used where low spill and maximum privacy

is required

Low-Spill Phased Array



Similar to a Loss Control Phased

Array design

Uses precisely dimensioned

terminator loops to reduce spill



Also controls metal loss






Interference with loops in all adjacent rooms

Signal will be overheard in all adjacent rooms and corridor

Example room with perimeter loop system

Room with perimeter

loop

Adjacent room

Corr

idor

Adjacent room

Adjacent room

Adjacent room

Adjacent room






Installation / Hardware Setup Perimeter Loop

Loop 0.25 mm thick copper tape under carpet or

vinyl flooring around perimeter of room. If tile or wood flooring is used, a 3mm Direct

Burial Cable will be laid inside the screed concrete layer.

Single Loop Driver Ideally not more than 3 m from termination

point of loop, beside or below/above AV amplifier/mixer.

Normal audio connections to AV equipment Can transmit all sounds provided by AV

equipment Requires a 19 inch rack mount or similar space 220V, 3 Pin Grounded Power plug.






No interference with

loops in all adjacent

rooms

Signal will NOT be

overheard in adjacent

rooms and corridor.

Example Room with Low Spill

MultiLoop System

Adjacent room

Corr

idor

Room with LowSpil MulitiLoop

Adjacent room

Adjacent room

Adjacent room Adjacent room






Installation / Hardware Setup Low Spill MultiLoop

Loop 0.25 mm thick copper tape under carpet or vinyl

flooring. Two exactly calculated phase shifting loop arrays

are laid across coverage area. If tile or wood flooring is used, a 3mm Direct

Burial Cable will be laid inside the screed concrete layer.

Single Loop Driver Ideally not more than 3 m from termination point

of loop beside or below/above AV amplifier/mixer. Normal audio connections to AV equipment Can transmit all sounds provided by AV equipment Requires a 19 inch rack mount or similar space 220V, 3 Pin Grounded Power plug.






Hearing

impair

ed

vis

itor


Hard

ware

O

pera

tor

responsib

ility

Hearing Loop, Loop driver and PA system installed and connected to each other

Switch on Amplifier and Loop Driver


Loop system Operation






Personal or Semi Fixed FM Systems

Perimeter Loop

Low Spill Loop

Installation Mobile/ Partial Fixed Fixed

Maintenance Cleaning/Testing/Consumables

Minimal Minimal

Staff involvement Very high Minimal Minimal

Visitor ease of use Complicated Easy Easy

Speaker Involvement Yes None None

Discreet use Not discreet Discreet Discreet

Privacy High Low High

Several speakers Limited Unlimited Unlimited

Running Cost High Very low Very low

Equipment/Setup Cost Medium Low High

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